camán

camán — noun

1. a curved wooden stick used in hurling and camogie to hit the ball

1.nounC2
Definition

a curved wooden stick used in hurling and camogie to hit the ball

Example

Ritu bought a new camán before the county hurling final.

collocation: buy a new camán before a match

Christopher swung his camán and sent the ball over the bar.

pattern: swing a camán to strike the ball

Common collocations
  • buy a camán
  • swing a camán
  • carry a camán
Synonyms
  • hurley

    the most common English term for this stick

  • hurl

    a shorter English form, especially in sports use

  • hurling stick

    a plain descriptive term, less tied to Irish language use

Grammar Patterns

a camán

Usage Note

Used mainly in Irish sporting contexts. In general English, hurley or hurl is more common.

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

These words can all refer to the stick used in hurling, but they do not sound the same in use. Camán is the Irish term, so it often appears when a writer wants a strong Irish cultural feel. Hurley is the most usual English choice and works in most general contexts. Hurl is a shorter sports word that is common in some communities and headlines. Hurling stick is the clearest label for readers who may not know the sport. For example, a news report may say a player lifted his hurley, while a cultural piece may mention a handcrafted camán.

camán ↗hurleyhurl ↗hurling stick

Common collocations

Nouns

  • camán handle
  • camán blade

Phrases

  • carry a camán
  • swing a camán
  • replace a camán

Prepositions

  • with a camán

Etymology

IrishEnglish

This word comes from Irish. It is linked with the idea of something bent or curved, which fits the shape of the stick. In English, it is mainly used for the curved stick used in hurling and camogie.